A high school soccer match in Bow, New Hampshire, took a dramatic turn when police were called on parents who silently protested the participation of a transgender player on the opposing team. The parents, who wore pink wristbands with "XX" — a reference to female chromosomes — were expressing concern over the inclusion of a biological male on Plymouth Regional High School's girls’ soccer team.
The protest, led by parents from Bow High School, stemmed from worries about fairness and safety. Anthony Foote, a parent involved in the demonstration, said his concern wasn’t about the transgender player personally but rather about the broader issue of biological females being forced to compete against male-bodied athletes. He expressed particular anxiety about the potential for injury, citing cases where girls had been hurt in similar circumstances.
If the Bow School District keeps silencing parents eventually everyone will agree that it’s wonderful to have boys competing in girls’ sports. #NHPolitics #SaveWomensSports @icons_women @Riley_Gaines_ https://t.co/hAU2t5V35U
— Beth (@BethRS62) September 23, 2024
The parents had raised the issue with Bow High’s athletic director before the game, but they were told that a federal judge’s ruling meant that schools could not prevent male players from joining girls’ teams if they identified as female. With the school’s hands tied, the parents decided to engage in a peaceful, silent protest by wearing the wristbands during the game.
School officials quickly reacted to the wristbands, viewing them as a violation of school policies against harassment and disruption. Superintendent Marcy Kelley stated that the wristbands were considered "threatening, harassing, and intimidating" and disrupted the game. The match was temporarily halted, and the parents were asked to remove their wristbands. When two of them refused, the police were called, and no-trespassing orders were issued, banning the parents from attending future school events.
The Superintendent of Bow schools should be fired.
What has happened to America where girls’ are simply erased by male competitors in their own sports, and the parents standing up for them are vilified?
Every father in Bow should standing beside Mr. Fellers and Mr. Foote. Nay,… https://t.co/ndAQcFyKJ4
— Victoria Sullivan (@victoria4nh) September 23, 2024
The incident has ignited a debate about transgender athletes in high school sports. Proponents of the parents argue that biological males have physical advantages over females, which creates an uneven playing field. Detractors, however, claim that the parents' actions amounted to discrimination against transgender students. This confrontation highlights the broader national conversation surrounding transgender rights, women’s sports, and school policies.
Foote insisted that the protest was peaceful, with no chanting or sign-waving. He provided videos to local media that showed the parents simply sitting in the stands with their wristbands, disputing the school’s claim that the protest disrupted the game. "I don’t care what [the player] wants to do with his life," said Foote, "What I do care about is that my daughter could be physically hurt".
Despite the school’s response, the issue isn't likely to fade anytime soon. With some schools enforcing policies that allow male-bodied athletes to compete on girls' teams and others holding firm against the practice, these disputes are becoming more common. As long as federal guidelines allow transgender inclusion in sports, these local conflicts will continue to surface.
The situation also underscores the political and cultural divide in many parts of the country, where communities are often split on such issues. Parents in Bow, a town described by Foote as leaning heavily liberal, may find it difficult to express dissenting opinions on sensitive topics like gender identity and athletics.
